Govt 'will heed' His Majesty's advice : PM
Play
Special waterways will be built as a long-term measure, premier vows
His Majesty the King’s advice to build waterways to protect the capital and its suburbs from inundation will be taken into consideration as a long-term measure, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday. His Majesty had made this suggestion after the 1980 and 1995 deluges.
A committee overseeing the permanent drainage system will further study His Majesty’s advice, though for the short term, the government will concentrate on the rehabilitation of transport routes, she said.
Floods in Bangkok are still at a critical level and keep expanding, especially in the hard-to-control eastern and western parts of the capital.
The authorities are currently relying on dykes made with so-called big bags on roads in the Rangsit area to control run-offs from the upper part of the country, in addition to the embankments along the Chao Phraya River and major canals.
Begging for cooperation
Affected people in several areas have tried to break down flood barriers to ease their situation, though Yingluck has been begging people to stop destroying dykes because it will only make matters worse in other areas.
“I beg for understanding and am asking you not to destroy the barricades. It will not reduce the water in your area, but will instead make floods worse in other areas.”
She added that the government might have to take legal measures if residents refused to comply.
“The government does not want to take legal action, but would like local people to cooperate with the authorities to overcome difficulties,” Yingluck said, adding that she was in a very difficult position.
“It’s terrible for me to see people suffering. Many are stressed out and battling problems, but I guarantee that the government and all concerned officials are doing their best to control the situation. It’s important to have people’s trust.”
Asked whether people in Don Muang were dissatisfied with the government’s assistance measures, Yingluck said the district was under the jurisdiction of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, though the central authorities were doing their best to support them.
The Social Development and Human Security Ministry has been instructed to handle affected areas, and governors from non-flooded provinces have been told to dispatch manpower and resources to help those in inundated areas, she said.
Froc not to be moved
Asked whether the office of the Flood Relief Operations Centre needed to be moved again since water was approaching from the east, Yingluck said she would have a raised corridor built connecting the Energy Complex with the Don Muang Tollway.
Deputy Prime Minister General Kowit Wattana yesterday met with a rehabilitation committee to come up with measures to restore inundated areas.
Concerned ministries will take care of the flooded areas and look for solutions to rehabilitate them. Kowit has also instructed ministries to take action as soon as the water starts receding.
Culture Minister Sukumol Kunplome said her ministry would take care of submerged historical sites, notably those in Ayutthaya.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk said his ministry would help remove contaminated water in 14 flooded provinces in the Central region, and would provide drinking water in 28 provinces.
The ministry would also help repair waste-management systems for 47 local administrative bodies as well as rehabilitate the environment in 2,500 communities across the country, he said.
Education Minister Woravat Auapinyakul said floods had damaged 2,396 schools and it would cost at least Bt1.5 billion to have them repaired.
Also, many schools will have to postpone opening the new semester further if the floods in their areas do not recede in time for the currently planned reopening, he said.
